Hobby Lobby in Marshalltown is now officially open for business after a crowd of local dignataries and employees cut a ceremonial ribbon on the business at the south end of the Marshalltown Mall. The business held a soft opening back on Friday and did pretty good business this past weekend.

The Company dates back to 1970 and is based in Oklahoma City Oklahoma.

The Marshalltown Police Department reported a drug bust on Sunday afternoon following a traffic stop. Captain Brian Batterson says the suspect is identified as 27 year old Rachel Berrones of Des Moines who faces multiple drug charges including possessionof prescription drugs and methamphetamine and carrying a weapon. She was taken to the Marshall County Jail.

History is being made in Marshalltown today as Hobby Lobby holds a ribbon
cutting and Grand Opening event at the new store at the Marshalltown Mall.
Jim Kelly is Manager of the Store which is the 16th such store in the
state of Iowa.

The Marshalltown Public Library had a successful book sale this past weekend.
The event was held back on Saturday and Sunday, books both hardcover and paperback were available along with videos, dvds, compact discs, and cassetes.
On Sunday patrons could purchase a bag of materials for a dollars. Funds raised go
to a group called Friends of the Library and then back to library departments
for the purchase of materials.

The Marshalltown City Council meets at noon today at City Hall.
According to the agenda Council will talk about and advance forward
the City Budget for the next fiscal year including the tax levy including
that of the levy for the five year Capital Improvement Project.
Also up for discussion is the proposed new Police Headquarters building
with the architect for the proposed project.

A former board member for an Iowa school district seeks to block the closure of one of its three schools.

The Board of Education at Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District voted 5-2 Wednesday to close the district's elementary and middle school building located in Gladbrook and move students to two schools in Reinbeck in an effort to cut costs. But Charles Bearden, who previously served on the board, has filed a legal petition to prevent the closure.

Bearden said on Thursday that the building in Gladbrook is newer than those in Reinbeck, and that it would be a "disgrace" to shut it down.

Josh Hemann, a current board member who voted in favor of the proposal, says maintaining an elementary school in every town isn't realistic.

Members of an economic growth subcommittee approved a bill Thursday that focuses more heavily on the infrastructure of building out broadband, also known as high-speed Internet. The bill has no grant program for service providers but expands a property tax offer.

The bill now heads to a full committee for consideration.

Sen. Steven Sodders, a Democrat from State Center, says Branstad's bill needed stronger language on expanding a fiber-optic network, which experts say is the best system for robust service.

Sodders is sponsor of the remaining bill and says it incorporates aspects of Branstad's legislation. He plans to meet with House leaders to ensure there is cohesive legislation.

A House panel has approved a bill that would legalize the sale of more fireworks in Iowa, a move that echoes action in the Senate.

Members of a ways and means subcommittee approved the bill Thursday. It now heads to a full committee for consideration.

The bill would require retailers to obtain a license to legally sell firecrackers, roman candles and other fireworks. Currently, state law allows only sales of sparklers or certain "novelty fireworks."

Several groups spoke in opposition to the bill and argued it would lead to more injuries. Rep. Matt Windschitl, a Republican from Missouri Valley and chairman of the subcommittee, says it's important to give consumers the right to buy fireworks.

The Burlington Animal Board has decided that a dog that was involved in a fatal police shooting of a woman was not dangerous or vicious, and should be returned to its owners.

The board announced its decision Wednesday after a 90-minute hearing.

On Jan.6, 34-year-old Autumn Steele was fatally shot by a Burlington police officer outside her home when the officer was investigating a domestic disturbance involving her husband. The policeman was startled by the couple's German Shepherd dog, which ran outside from the couple's home. The officer fired several shots at the dog when he fell down. One of the shots missed the dog, and hit Steele in the chest.

Steele's 4-year-old son and a neighbor witnessed the shooting. The witness said the dog did not appear to be attacking the officer.

A southwest Iowa mother convicted in a cancer hoax involving her 5-year-old daughter must make restitution totaling nearly $33,000,

Seven claimants stepped forward at a restitution hearing on Wednesday in Cass County District Court to request around $10,000 total.

Cass County Attorney David Wiederstein says Judge Greg Steensland didn't rule on any of the claims. Once he rules, the total paid out will be deducted from the restitution that 30-year-old Leatha Slauson must pay. The remainder will be sent to cancer research-based charitable organizations.

Last month Slauson was sentenced to five years of probation. She'd pleaded guilty to child endangerment, theft and other crimes. Prosecutors say Slauson posted on a Facebook page that her daughter had colon cancer. Donations soon began pouring in.

A 24-year-old Marion man faces several charges following a collision with a patrol car being driven by a sheriff's deputy in northeast Cedar Rapids neighborhood.

The Linn County Sheriff's Office says in a news release that the accident occurred around 4:50 p.m. on East Post Road. The release says a southbound vehicle driven by D'Andre Hicks went out of control and ran into the northbound cruiser being driven by Deputy Chad Watkinson.

The release says Hicks drove away, with Watkinson and two other officers in pursuit. Hicks was captured a few blocks away when he stopped his car and tried to flee on foot.

Iowans are doing pretty good in the aftermath of the latest snowfall. The snow fell during the day Wednesday. Snowplowing and shoveling was done on a repeated basis. Roads this morning are mostly to partly covered with ice and snow.

Some schools depending on the location are delayed two hours others do to the efficiency of the snow clearing done are on time.

We're are back into the deep deep freeze as far as low temperatures are concered the next two days in the listening area.

Fuel prices will soon go up in Iowa now that Gov. Terry Branstad has signed a tax increase into law.

Branstad announced Wednesday that he had signed the bill, which will raise the state fuel tax by 10 cents a gallon. The Legislature gave bipartisan support to the measure Tuesday in an effort to provide more road funding.

The legislation will provide more than $200 million annually for Iowa's network of bridges and roads, many of which are considered deteriorating or deficient. The price change will go into effect March 1.

Branstad says he recognized the state needs more money for infrastructure. He praised lawmakers for reaching a bipartisan consensus.

A 14-year-old girl has been flown to an Iowa City hospital after being shot by another teen handling a rifle.

Vinton Police Chief Ted Paxton says officers were sent to the Vinton home just after 6:15 p.m. Tuesday. They found the girl had been shot in the head. She was taken to Virginia Gay Hospital in Vinton and then transferred in critical condition to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

Officials have found no links between the suicides of two students at a school in suburban Des Moines.

Authorities say a 12-year-old sixth-grader at Urbandale Middle School killed herself on Feb. 15. The suicide of an eighth-grade girl was reported on Monday.

No evidence has been found that either girl was bullied, and Superintendent Doug Stilwell says the girls didn't know each other.

He told The Des Moines Register on Tuesday that the district is in shock and that, "We'd like to think that one or two suicides isn't a pattern."

Stilwell says counselors from the high school were brought in to help the middle school students and also says district officials are discussing the idea of bringing in professional speakers to discuss suicide with students.

The trial of a 35-year-old man charged with first-degree murder in a northern Iowa girl's stabbing death is set to begin next week.

Prosecutors say Casey Frederiksen was watching the 5-year-old girl at the time of her disappearance in July 2005. She was the daughter of his live-in girlfriend. The child's body was found in the Cedar River a few days after she was reported missing.

The trial is scheduled to begin Monday in Hamilton County. The trial is expected to last at least two weeks.

A message seeking comment was left with Frederiksen's attorney Wednesday.

The Iowa Senate has approved bills that would raise Iowa's minimum wage and try to curtail cases of wage theft.

The Democratic-majority Senate voted 27 to 22 Tuesday to increase the state's minimum wage level to $8.75. The Senate also voted 26-23 to establish more rules to curtail alleged wage theft by employers in Iowa.

The bills now head to the Republican-led House for consideration, but it's unlikely there's enough support there to get them to Gov. Terry Branstad's desk.

Lawmakers in the House have said they would rather focus on skilled worker training opportunities instead of a minimum wage bill that raises it above its current level of $7.25. Lawmakers have also said there are other ways to prevent wage theft.

Iowa senators are reviewing legislation that would expand an effort to offer online voter registration in the state.

A Senate subcommittee discussed the proposal Tuesday. Iowa does not currently offer online registration, but the secretary of state is working on a system that will offer the service to anyone with a valid driver's license or state issued identification.

The proposed legislation would also offer online registration to those without those forms of ID. The bill did not immediately receive subcommittee approval, but Democratic Sen. Jeff Danielson says he hopes it will move forward.

Deputy Secretary of State Carol Olson says the office would prefer to get the first system up before starting such an initiative but that the office would work with the Legislature.

The Marshalltown Police Department says the local snow ordinance will go
into effect at 2pm this afternoon. Vehicles need to off the designated snow
routes for snow removal purposes. Vehicles will be towed away if on the street at
owners expense.

The National Weather service has posted a Winter Storm Warning for today.
They are saying some five to eight inches worth of snow and easterly winds
of ten to twenty miles per hour. Be wary of road conditionsand for early school
dismissals.

The warning will be in effect until nine p-m Wednesday night followed
by cold temperatures.

According to Marshall County Attorney Jennifer Miller, a motion was made today for Jose Morales’ trial to be moved to a location outside of the county. Miller noted this motion was made because of the excessive amount of media coverage this case has received. She said the fear is that keeping the trial in Marshall County could cause it to be difficult to find an untainted jury.

Morales is accused of shooting and killing 20-year-old Dedrikk Montrell Fisher back in January. The alleged shooting took place on West Church Street here in Marshalltown. An intense search by authorities for Morales ended on Wednesday, January 21st when police found and arrested Morales at a Plaza Heights Road location here in Marshalltown.

He faces charges of First Degree Murder and Going Armed with Intent. He has already demanded a speedy trial. His jury trial date is currently set for April 7th of this year.

Jean Martinez-Velazquez has waived his right to a speedy trial. According to Marshall County Attorney Jennifer Miller, Martinez-Velazquez had originally had an April trial date scheduled. However, because of his decision, Martinez-Velazquez won’t receive a new trial date at this time.

Martinez-Velazquez is accused of shooting a woman at the Flamingo Motel on Iowa Avenue West here in Marshalltown. The alleged incident took place back in January of this year. Martinez-Velazquez is facing charges of Attempted Murder, Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Deliver, and Aggravated Domestic Assault.

At the latest meeting of the Marshalltown City Council, Council heard from
Library Director Sarah Rosenbloom about a proposal to get voters to approve
a small levy for the Marshalltown Public Library that would create some 204-thousand dollars to enhance the libraries efforts including opening up on Sundays for a few hours.

She says the overall budget of 900-thousand dollars has stayed the same for a while and patron useage is between 800 and a thousand people per day.

The Marshall County Board of Supervisors meet Tuesday morning at nine a-m.
According to the published agenda there are 18 items on the agenda
for the Supervisors to work through. The proposed budget will be discussed
and in addition a construction permit for a hog confinement facility is being
sought.

Pettit's parents said in a statement released by Lagan that Tayler complained of a shortness of breath after his second match Wednesday. He then collapsed, experienced seizures and went into cardiac arrest.

Scott and Melissa Pettit said in the statement that doctors found Tayler has a previously unknown condition in which an extra electrical pathway in his heart caused a rapid heart rate.

Their statement said Tayler underwent a procedure to correct the pathway and is expected to make a full recovery.

The Marshalltown area got snow pellets Saturday morning during the overnight time frame.It amounted to a dusting. The high on Friday reached 33 which seemed almost balmy compared to temperatures in recent days.

The weather man says its back into the deep freeze starting Saturday night with a day time high predicted Sunday of 7 above and a low Sunday night of -9 below.